Assessing Iraq  —  Michelle and I spent four days patrolling the environs around Forward Operating Base Justice in north and west Baghdad last week.  FOB Justice is near one functional neighborhood, Khadimiyah, one mostly recovered neighborhood, Al Salam, one dysfunctional neighborhood …

An Apology to Detainees' Attorneys  —  During a radio interview last week, I brought up the topic of pro bono work and habeas corpus representation of detainees in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.  Regrettably, my comments left the impression that I question the integrity of those engaged in the zealous defense of detainees in Guantanamo.

Saudis consider sending troops to Iraq  —  Government 'deeply skeptical' al-Maliki can make Bush surge plan work  —  Saudi Arabia believes the Iraqi government is not up to the challenge and has told the United States that it is prepared to move its own forces into Iraq should the violence …

Libby Quick Hits  —  Day One of the Libby trial has passed, and the sun did not stop in the sky - whew!  —  Let's go for some quick-ish hits.  The NY Times has a case overview from Monday that is absurdly misinformed.  Obviously, this trial is a bit awkward for them …

Iraqi Death Toll Exceeded 34,000 in 2006, U.N. Says  —  The United Nations reported Tuesday that more than 34,000 Iraqis were killed in violence last year, a figure that represents the first comprehensive annual count of civilian deaths and a vivid measure of the failure of the Iraqi government and American military to provide security.

Three Time [Loser] Winner  —  There just didn't seem to be any other way to explain why I'm not going to be present for the first two weeks of the Libby trial so I decided to resort to the truth.  —  As someone who has devoted years to building this blog around coverage of the CIA leak investigation …

Obama Starts '08 Bid, Reshaping Democratic Field  —  Two years after arriving in Washington, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois made clear on Tuesday his intention to enter the Democratic presidential race, creating an exploratory committee while preparing to open a full-fledged campaign next month …

What $1.2 Trillion Can Buy  —  The human mind isn't very well equipped to make sense of a figure like $1.2 trillion.  We don't deal with a trillion of anything in our daily lives, and so when we come across such a big number, it is hard to distinguish it from any other big number.

Insurgencies Rarely Win - And Iraq Won't Be Any Different (Maybe)  —  Vietnam taught many Americans the wrong lesson: that determined guerrilla fighters are invincible.  But history shows that insurgents rarely win, and Iraq should be no different.  Now that it finally has a winning strategy …

Tancredo's Dubious Allies  —  Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO) is expected to announce the formation of an exploratory committee to seek the candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination.  "He's going to paint himself as a mainstream conservative," says the staffer for one of Tancredo's colleagues in the House of Representatives.

President Bush Defends Decision to Send Additional Troops to Iraq  —  JIM LEHRER: Mr. President, welcome.  —  PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: Thank you, sir.  —  MR. LEHRER: How do you feel about the way the Iraqi government handled the hangings of Saddam Hussein, and now more recently, two of his top aides?

Frist looking at governor run in 2010  —  Former Majority Leader Sen. Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) is seriously considering a gubernatorial run in Tennessee in 2010, possibly setting up a White House bid further down the road.  —  Sources in Washington and Tennessee say Frist, who will turn 55 next month …

THE LEFT AND THE WAR....If anti-war liberals were right about the war from the start, how come they don't get more respect?  Here's the nickel version of the answer from liberal hawks: It's because they don't deserve it.  Sure, the war has gone badly, but not for the reasons the doves warned of.

As Trial Begins, Cheney's Ex-Aide Is Still a Puzzle  —  Paradox seems to define I. Lewis Libby Jr., who remains a bit mysterious even to close colleagues.  He is the White House policy enforcer who also wrote a literary novel; a buttoned-down Washington lawyer who likes knocking back tequila shots …

Iran shoots down U.S. spy drone amid growing military pressure  —  TEHRAN, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) — Iranian troops have shot down a U.S. pilotless spy plane recently, an Iranian lawmaker announced on Tuesday as the Islamic Republic was facing increasing military pressure from its arch rival — the United States.